Committee formed to look into reconvening of Parliament, says PM

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): A committee comprising government and opposition representatives has been formed to look into important aspects before Parliament reconvenes, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Prime Minister said the committee would consider whether it should be a physical or hybrid parliamentary sitting.

"Whether it (the sitting) will be held hybrid or physical will be referred to the current Parliament Standing Orders," he told reporters after visiting the KLCC vaccination centre (PPV) here Sunday (June 20).

He said the government needed to scrutinise all matters to avoid problems after its implementation.

"I will need to closely look into this. I understand (the matter) very well and I was advised not only by the Minister of Law but by the Attorney General that my actions and those of the government must be in line with what is stipulated in the Constitution,” he said.

He said the government, among others, needs to take into account whether the sitting can be held physically and whether a hybrid session was in line with provisions in the Standing Orders.

Besides this, he said there was also a need to consider whether Parliament itself was ready for a physical sitting, including with regard to sitting arrangements which needed to comply with the set standard operating procedures (SOP).

Muhyiddin said it was not his intention to delay the reconvening of Parliament, but those were the issues that needed to be looked into carefully.

The Prime Minister also gave his commitment that both government backbenchers and opposition members represented in the committee will have a say in the decision-making process on whether to reconvene Parliament or not.

"I asked the committee comprising representatives of the government and the opposition to evaluate the matter and only after that will they inform me whether they are ready or not to commence the parliamentary session,” he said.

In this regard, he hoped the people would understand the situation, adding that it was not a matter of the government denying the rights of the elected representatives or acting against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Malay Rulers’ views.

"I understand my responsibilities as prime minister but I have to act fairly to ensure there are no arising issues or problems later on... This is something I hope the people can understand and wait for (the Parliament session),” he said. - Bernama